Expeditions may revive Maalea ferry service from Maui to Lanai

Expeditions, which operates the only ferry service between Maui and Lanai, is moving closer to offering additional service from Maalea Harbor, according to documents filed with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.

The Maui News reports Expeditions, which runs ferries from Lahaina to Manele Bay on Lanai, told regulators that the purchase of the Pineapple Isle by Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison two years ago and the construction projects generated by his improvements to the island have increased demand for charters from Maalea. The newspaper reports Expeditions, which suspended its Maalea service in December 2008, is seeking to place its newest ferry on the Maalea route, which must be approved by the PUC.

The newspaper reports Maalea Harbor, which is closer to Kahului and Wailuku than Lahaina, is currently undergoing improvements, including those that would service a ferry system, although that work is currently in the design phase.